Pulp-producing- apparatus



C. 1. BROWN.

PULP PRODUCING APPARATUS. APPLICA TI ON FILED IULY 5. I918.

1,380,524. Patented June 7, 1921.

' 3 s EETS-SHEET x.

A TTORZZZ'Y C. 1. BROWN.

PULP PRODUCING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5,1918.

1,380,524. Patented June 7, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

C. J. BROWN.

PULP PRODUCING APPARATUS.

APPUCATION FILED JULY 5,1918.

1,880,524. Patented June 7, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES 3'. BROWN, 01: TONAVVANDA, NEVI YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LOUIS C. NEWMAN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

PULP-PRODUCING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES J. BROWN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Tonawanda, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pulp-Producing Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an apparatus in which the fine pulp shall be continuously taken from the apparatus, when it is of the proper mesh, without in any way interrupting the fiow of the coarser pulp, whereby the apparatus is continuous in its operation.

' Another object is to provide a screen for separating the fine and coarse pulp which shall be self-cleaning.

Another object is to provide a simple and efiicient means for discharging the fine pulp from the finishing tub without interrupting the continuous operation of the apparatus.

Moreover, in my invention, I provide a self-cleanin rotary screen for removing a pog'tion of Fhe fine pulp from either of the tu s.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view of one of the beater tubs, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the finishing beater tub, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal, fragmentary, se tional view of the finishing tub, showing a rotary screen arranged in the discharge trough.

Fig. 5 shows a modified arrangement oi: my apparatus.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sec-- tional view of a gate valve'to be used in connection with the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a modified form of gate valve.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, sectional view of a modified form of backfall.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, plan view of a beater engine, showing my rotary screen attached thereto.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional view of the same, taken on line 10-10 Of 9. I

Fig. 11 is an enlarged, fragmentar longitudinal, sectional view, taken through the tub on line l111 of Fig. 9, showing the" rotary screen and its co-actmg parts.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that my apparatus comprises preferably three beating tubs, 15, 16, and 17. The tub 15 is the roughing tub, in which the material to be treated is first placed; and this tub is connected with the middle tub. 16, by means of a channel 18.

From the middle tub 16, the material is con-' 20 may be arranged along the sides of the channel and tub, preferably near the .bot-' tom thereof, and adjacent the metal catchers 20, for assisting in the separation of the Patented J une 7, 1921.

App1ication filed July 5, 1918. Serial No. 243,394.

metal and sand from the pulp. In this form of the apparatus, the tubs are arranged at different elevations. The tub 15 is the highest, the middle tub 16 is arranged lower than the tub 15, and the tub 17 is the lowest of the three, so that the material will flow from one tub to the other by gravity.

Each of the tubs comprises, in general, an

A outer wall 21; a midfeather 22; a beating roll 23, provided with blades 24; a bedplate 25, co-acting with the beater roll; and

a backfall 26, all of the, usual and well known construction. The outer wall 21, at the end of each ,of the tubs, is cut away so as to provide openings 27, 28, and 29 in the tubs 15, 16, and 17, respectively, such openings extending from the top to the bottom of each tub. The opening 27 of the tub 15 and the opening '28 of the tub 16, are each arranged in the end of the tub and immediately behind the backfall 26 of each tub; and, arranged in front of each of these openings, is a comblike or open ended screen 30.

These screens, as shown in Fig. 2, are composed of a plurality of bars or members closely arranged parallel to each other and i I secured at their inner ends at a point 30 to T the side of the tub of the engine at one end only the other ends being unattached. The point 30 is disposed at the side of the tub and toward the direction of flow of the material. The outer ends of the members of 5 the screen are free, not being fastened together and the spaces between them are open. Each screen is preferably curved and is secured in front of the opening, as shown in the drawings. The flow of the material is as illustrated by the arrows, and, as the current forces the material pastand incontact with the screen, the particles which are fine enough to pass between its members will flow into the channels connected with the opening immediately behind the screen, while the coarser and unfinished stock will move over the surface of the screen and continue to circulate through the beater until it has become fine enough to pass through the screen. The screen of the tub; 15 is coarser in mesh than thes'creen of the tub 16; and, by this arrangement, the pulp which is but partially reduced in the first tub passes to the middle tub where the re mlucing process is continued, and then on to the third or finishing tub where the pulp is reduced to the predetermined fineness.

The finishing tub 17 is not provided with a screen 30, but the pulp is recirculated until it becomes of the proper fineness, when it is removed therefrom. A hood 31 is arranged over the beating roll of this tub (not shown in Fig. l), and the part thereof which is adjacent the backfa-ll is curved to'conform to the shape of the roll, being arranged but a slight distance above the roll. To the end 32 of this hood is piv-otally secured an adjustable bafi'le valve 33. This valve is ar ranged so that the space between the end 32 of the hood and the top edge of the backfall 26 may be closed. A lever 34 and suitable connecting means are provided, whereby this valve may be operated to wholly or partially close the space between the edge 32 of the hood and the top of the backfall. Under normal working conditions, the lower edge of thevalve is disposed near the periphery of the roll, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 3. When it is desired to empty the tub, the valve is moved back to the position shown in dotted lines, where the opening between the backfall and hood is closed. In this position, the materialwill be conducted around over the top of the roll and under the hood 31. In front of the roll is arranged a screen 35 through which the fine material passes as it is thrown against it by the roll. Immediately in front of the roll is disposed a discharge trough 36; and to the upper edge of the inner wall thereof is pivotally mounted a valve 37, which may be moved, by suitable means (not shown), toward or from the lower end of the screen 35. A

bafiie plate 38 is arranged in front of the ing thrown beyond this point. With the valve 37 properly adjusted, the fine material, passing through the screen, will fall into the discharge trough 36, whence it will be conducted to the discharge pipe 39. The batl'le valve 33 is preferably so adjusted that there is a continuous flow of material through the screen 35 which is produced by the roll 23, a portion of the stock in the beating tub passing over the backfall and recirculating throughthe tub. Both the battle valve 33 and the valve 37 may be adjusted so as to graduate the discharge of the material from the finishing tub 17 and they are, preferably, so adjusted that there is a continuous flow of material from the tub.

Instead of the trough 36, shown in Fig. 3, a trough 40 having a circular cross section may be used. When such a trough (as shown in Fig. 4) is used, a cylindrical screen 41, rotated by suitable means (not shown), is arranged so as to dip into the trough. This screen is hollow and is provided Wltll. a plurality of perforations through its wall. When rotated in the material, the product which is sufficiently fine will pass through the openings and be conductedaway. The coarser materials, which will stick to the outside of the screen, will be scraped off by means of a doctor 42 and conducted back to the beating tub through a slot 43 in the. hood.

Referring to Fig. 5, where I show a twostage apparatus, 44 and 45 are roughing tubs into which the scrap paper is first placed. These tubs are connected with a finishing tub 46 by means of channels 47 and 48, respectively. 49 is the screen which is arranged in front of the opening in each of the tubs 44 and 45. Sand and metal catchers 20 are arranged in the tubs 44 and 45, and also inthe channels 47 and 48. In this form of invention, the tubs 44 and 45 are both arranged at the same elevation but are higher than the elevation of the finishing tub 46. In each of the channels 47fand 48 is arranged a gate valve 50, by which either of the channels may be closed. This gate valve may be in any desired form, and, in the drawings, in Figs. 6 and 7, I show two forms. In Fig. 6, the valve 50 is arranged so as to slide vertically in the channel, and it is provided with a gear rack 51, meshing with a gear pinion 52, by which, through suitable operating means (notshown), it may be raised or lowered as desired. In Fig. 7, the gate valve 53-is doublesided and pivoted at its center to a shaft 54. The shaft is supported in suitable bearings and is rotatable in the direction indicated by the arrows byany suitable means (not shown) By means of these gate valves, either of the tubs 44 or 45 may be used while the other is being charged; or, if the condition of the material warrants, both tubs 44 and 45 may be used to supply the partly treated stock to the finishing tub 46.

In Fig. 8, I show anadjustable backfall 55, which is slidably arranged in suitable ways upon the bottom 56 of the tub. Thls backfall is provided with a gear rack 57, and the gear pinion 58 meshes therewith. The pinion 58 is secured to a shaft 59 which may be rotated by a lever 60 Upon the surface of the backfall, adjacent .thebeater roll 61, is arranged a beating surface 62 which co-acts with the blades of the beat ing roll. By operating the lever 60, the beating surface 62 may be moved toward or away from the blades of the beatlng roll, thereby regulating the grade of stock.

In Figs. 9 to 11, inclusive, I show an alternate method of removing the fine stock from the finishing beating tub. A rotary screen 63 is arranged near the bottom of the beating tub. It is suitably journaled and driven by means of a gear 64, attached to the screen, and an intermeshing gear 65 carried by a jack-shaft 66. The jack-shaft is driven preferably from the main shaft 67 of the beating tub, by means of pulleys 68 and 69 and belt 70. The rotary screen 63 is provided with a plurality of perforations of such a size that the material which has reached the proper fineness will pass therethrough. The outer end of the screen is rotatably arranged in an overflow or head box 71. This head box is provided with a vertical partition 72, the height of which is adjustable by means of blocks 73. This partition thus provides a discharge pipe 74 for the finished material. The blocks 73 provide means for adjustin the partition so that its height will be a out level with the material in the tub. The fine material passes through the apertures in the rotary screen and into the head box. It rises in the head box until it overflows the partition and passes thence into the discharge pipe 74. Arranged immediately in front of the rotary screen 63 is a stationary screen 75 which slopes upwardly in the direction of flow of the material and thus serves to conduct the heavier material over the top of the rotary screen 63, while the finer material passes between its members and through the apertures of the rotary screen. The lower end of the screen 65 is supported by means of a lateral strip 7 6 which provides a sand and metal catch. A settling basin 77 is provided below the rotary screen 63. A doctor 7 8 is rovided for the rotary screen 63, whereby its periphery is kept clear of the coarse material.

It will be seen that by the means of my apparatus, scrap paper may be continuously charged into the roughing beating tubs and that the material, as it is made finer, will automatically pass on to the next succeeding tub and so on until it reaches the finished tub,where the material of proper fineness will be continuously conducted away. I prefer to provide a rotary screen inthe finishing tub only, but it is clear that one may be provided ineither of the tubs for taking off any fine material whichmight be present, This makes it unnecessary for the material in any one tub, which has become of theprOper fineness, to pass through the othertubs, but makes it possible to conduct the fine material directly from either of the tubs. .The beating tubsmmay eitherbe arranged in series or in alternate arrangement, as desired. These and other modifications 0f the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the s irit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims; and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a pulp producing apparatus, the combination of a plurality of beating tubs, channels connecting the tubs, each tub having its wall cut away at the point where it connects with one of the channels, and a screen arranged across the opening connecting the tub with the channel.

2. In a pulp producing apparatus, the combination of a plurality of beating tubs, channels connecting the tubs, each tub having its wall cut away the full height of the tub at the point where it connects with one of the channels, and a screen arranged across the opening connecting the tub with the channel.

3. In a pulp producing apparatus, the combination with a beating tub, having its wall cut away the full height of the tub, of a comb like, open-ended screen arranged across the opening of the tub.

4. In a pulp producing apparatus, the combination of a plurality of beating tubs, channels connecting the tubs, each tub having its wall cut away at the point where it connects with one of the channels, and comb like, open-ended screen arranged across the opening connecting the tub with the channel.

5. In a pulp producing apparatus, the combination with a beating tub, havin its wall cut away the full height of the tu of a curved, comb like open-ended screen arranged across the opening of the tub and so positioned that the fine pulp will pass through the meshes of the screen and the coarse pulp will be retained in the tub for further reduction.

6. In a pulp producing apparatus, the combination with a plurality of beating tubs, channels connecting the tubs, each tub having its wall cut away at the point where it connects with one of the channels, each tub having a beating roll and a backfall, the last tub having a bafiie valve pivotally supported above the backfall, means for adjusting the bafiie valve, a discharge trough for collecting the fine material carried over by the roll, and a pivotally mounted Valve arranged between the trough and the comblike screen for directing the flow of the pulp to the trough.

7 In a pulp producing apparatus, the combination with a plurality of beating tubs, channels connecting the tubs, each tub having its wall cut away at the point where it connects with one of the channels, a screen arranged across the opening connecting the tub with the channel, each tub having a beating roll and a backfall, the last tub'having a baflle valve pivotally supported above the backfall, means for adjusting the bafile valve, a discharge trough for collecting the fine material carried over by the'roll, and a pivotally mounted Valve arranged between the trough and the comb-like screen for directing the flow of the pulp to the trough.

In testimony whereof 'I haye hereunto signed myname.

CHARLES J. BROWN. 

